HAMILTON FIRE BRIGADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 1 (Supplement)

HAMILTON FIRE BRIGADE.

WELL-EQUIPPED FIRE j STATION. ! UP-TO-DATE PLANT. I Few people, when they hear the screech of the. lire syren and see Hamilton's modern motor fire engine rushing away to the scene of a fire, have much idea of the fire station, its equipment, and its enthusiastic band of fire-fighters. With a view to ascertaining some details a '" Star " | representative recently paid a visit I to the fire station. |

I The lire star-:on itself is a handsome building of brick and roughcast, and is ■situated in Anglesca Street, only a | minute's walk from the business portion lof the town. On catering the wide main doors one is in the large and scrupulously clean engine room, in which I stands the most modern equipment ; ready for use at a moment's notice. I The monster Dennis turbine engine, i with red paint and shining brass, looks jas if it had never been out on the i-oad.; I a striking tribute to the care and at-' tcntion of its driver, Mr. 11. Tuckey. iOn the left of the engine room is the I watch room, with switches, alarms, tele- ! phones and other apparatus used to I receive urgent calls for assistance. At ! tlie rear of the engine room is a handsome social room containing a billiard table, I whereon the firemen while away the time ! waiting for a call. On the walls hang photographs of dead or retired firemen, 'while in a conspicuous position is tiie roll of honour bearing the names ot y Hamilton firemen who fought in f he Great War. o__the ground floor there

is sleeping accommodation for nine single men, with up-to-date conveniences. A comfortable cottage, for the motorman is at the rear of tlie station, liver the engine room very comfortable quarters are provided for the superintendent. j The plant consists of a modern Dennis ! turbine engine and a "lOl't lire-escape. [ I The pngine weighs ">i tons and is (>•"> h.p. iThe turbine pump is capable of deliver- : ing .~>oo gallons of water per minute. (Owing to Ihc poor pressure of water in [the town—one of the poorest pressures jin Xew Zealand —the pump has to be used at 11113' fire of any consequence. It !is proposed to purchase a smaller I engine, with first-aid plant, for use 011 'longer runs to the outskirts of the district, and for dealing with minor outbreaks. The brigade has TiOOOft of hose, and ot", more than one occasion has had to run out over 1000 ft to! reach a lire. I Tlie brigade is under the control oil the Hamilton Fire Hoard, a progressive body of men. who have never failed to respond to the reai needs of the brigade. There is, and has been, complete harmony existing between hoard and brigade, and as a result the equipment and efficiency of tlie brigade is equal to that of any in the Dominion. The brigade is in charge of Superintendent A. Craig, wiio has been a lireman all his life, and who is quite an enthusiast on matters pertaining to ftrcHghting. lie has held official positions in the Auckland, Wellington ana Wanganui lire brigades, and though it is only since the appointment of a permanent superintendent a few months I ago that lie has bpen in Hamilton, he has soon found that he has a most. efficient body of men to deal with, and he. waxes quite enthusiastic over their work. He, himself, has efficiency written all over him. and that he is as resourceful as efficient is shown by the fact tbat on the occasion of a recent fire close to the tire station he drove the engine to the fire himself. Indeed, the brigade lias also gained quite a i reputation for re-ourccfuhicss ant I versatility. On one occasion a motor I car caught fire in a street where no

water was laid on. Xothing daunted, the brigade hitched the blazing vehicle to the lire engine and towed it to where water was available, and extinguished the lire. The only other permanent hand is Motorman Tuckey. a bold and fearless driver, whose masterly handling of the heavy engine always evokes the warmest admiration. Tlie auxiliaries consist of a deputy-superintendent, a foreman, and sonic lit) firemen, every one of whom is keen and efficient, and no matter how far away the fire may be. or at what hour of the day or night it. occurs, there is generally a full muster. The brigade was recently inspected by the j Government inspector, 'Mr. Hugo, who expressed himself in very glowing terms as to tlie smartness and efficiency of tlie brigade, the excellence of the equipment, and the appearance of the station. There is an emergency station at Frankton. where a reel is kept, while in I the near future the question of providing similar emergency gear at Claudelands will have to be considered. I Aii up-to-date lire alarm system j known as the Duplex system is nowbeing installed by the hoard. Twelve and a-half miles of Wiring have been | completed, and in a very short, space of time there will he 2S alarm boxes at various places in tiie district. The brigade has a tine record ot '"good saves'" to its credit, and i; is an institution of which Hamilton residents arc. and have every reason to be, urond r :